Protection of driving-chains.



No. 702,775. Patented lune l7, I902.-

E. CATCHPUOL.

PROTECTION OF DRIVING CHAINS.

" Application filed Feb. 27, 1902.

4 Shuts-Sheet I.

(No ModeL) (No Model.)

No. 702,775. Patented lune I7, 1902..

E CATCHPUOL. PROTECTION OF DRIVING CHAINS.

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1902.)

4 Sheets$heet 2.v

, No. 702,775. Phtented June 17,- |902.;

E. CATCHPUUL PROTECTION OF DRIVING'CHAIRS.

(Applicationfi ledFeh27,1962.

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets$heet 3L ,UNITED STATES ERNEST OATOHPOOL,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF DEAL, ENGLAND.

PROTECTION OF DRIVING-CHAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,775, dated June 17, 1902.

Application filed February 2'7 1902. Serial No- 95,933. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST CATCHPOOL, a subject of the King of England,-residing, at Deal, county of Kent, England, have invented 5 certain new and useful Improvementsin or Relating to the Protection of Driving-Chains,

(for which Ihave made applicationin Great Britain underNo. 15,344, dated'July 29, 1901;) of which the following is aspecification. r

This invention relates 'to driving-chains, and has for its chief 'object'to provide means for protecting'the'chain from dirt, wet," 65c.-

Ac'cording'to this invention I provide each link with a separate shield or protecting-plate,

generally employed on cycles. Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 are respectively an end view, a side elevation, and an inverted plan, of one of the shields separately. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified construction of shield applied to a similar chain: Fig. 7 is a transverse section of Fig. 6. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are respectively an end view, a side elevation, and an inverted plan, of a shield separately. Fig. 11 is a longitndinal view of a further-modified form of shield applied to the link of the chain, such as is generally employed on motor-vehicles. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal elevation of a shield which is applied to the links during the manufacture of the chain. Fig. 13 is a side elevation showing my invention applied to a blockchain, such as is employed on motor-vehicles; and Fig. 14 shows another modification, in which the ends of the shield do not overlap.

Referring moreparticularly to Figs. 1 to 5, in which the shields are shown applied to the links B of a roller-chain, each shield consists of a plate A, ofmetal or other suitablematerial, and is of the same'orappr'o'ximately the same length as the chain-link to which it is attached. At each side the shield is provided with extensions or arms A, which are bent or folded down over the side plate B of the 50 chain-link and carry at their lower ends inthe'links and are retained in position by.the' teeth A which engage or bear against the lower edge of the side-plate B of the link.

The end portion A of each shield overlaps the end portion A of the shield on the adjacent link of the chain, the end A being bent the rounded end'of the chain-link. The part .A overlapsthepart A of the adjacent shield to a sufficient extent to protect the chainlinks, .and asthe chain passes around the wheel the underlappingend A of each shield tends to raise the overlapping end A of the adjacent shield, (seelFig. 1,) was to break off any mudwhich mayhaveicollected there.

By bending the portion at the end of the plate the two-plates-are permitted to move relatively to eachotherwith'out undue friction.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 to 10 the lower ends of the extensions-A"of the shieldare not provided with teeth, as above described; but the .parts A and'their lower extremities are adapted. to .be .bent- -around the lower edge of the side plate of "the link, (see Fig. 3,) and thus retain the shield in proper position. Instead of bending the un der-lappin g end of the shield,as in'the arrange= ment above described, the overlapping end A is bent or curved upwardly, which has the same efiect as the downwardly-bent portion described in theprevious arrangement and permits the chain to pass around the wheel smoothly.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated a shield applied to a link of a roller-chain, such as is employed on motor-vehicles, the shield in this case being provided with two arms A carrying parts A at their lower extremities, which are adapted to embrace the lower edge of theside plate of the link. The plate extensions A, may, as shown in Fig. 12, be arranged to be held .by the chain-rivets B and in this case plates A are formed integral with the extensionsA' of the chain, and the rivets are passed through holes in the plates A in the course of manufacturing the chain.

In Fig. 13 I have shown the shield applied to a block-chain such as is generally applied to motor-vehicles and comprising links 13 and blocks 13. In this case the shields are ap-' plied onlyto the links of the chain and have their ends projecting over the blocks, as shown, to a sufficient extent to prevent them being uncovered when the chain is passing around the wheel. Each shield is provided with two extensions A, which have their lower ends bent around the lower edge of the side plate in a similar manner to those described with reference to Fig. 11, or the extensions may be provided with teeth, as already described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. 4

Instead of forming the shields with one end bent down, as described and shown in Figs. 1 to 5, or with an upturned end, as referred to and illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10, the shields may be formed fiat throughout their entire length, or one end of each shield may be bent downward and the other end bent upward.

The shields may be formed with side plates instead of the arms, in which case the side plates would overlap the links sidewise, so as to protect the sides of the chain as well as its top.

According to the arrangement shown in Fig. 14 the ends of the shields A do not overlap each other, as above described, but are arran ed so as to protect only the open part of thelinks or the part into which the tooth of the wheel enters.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with an endless chain, of a series of protecting devices, each consisting of a shield or plate extending across one edge of the side bars of the link, and the space between said bars, and having means engaging the opposite edges of the side bars of the link.

2. The combination with a chain-link, of a shield or plate extending across the space between the side bars of the link, and arms projecting from opposite sides of said plate and having lugs engaging with the side bars of the link.

3. The combination with a chain-link, of a shield or plate extending across the space between the side bars of the link and having arms extending across said side bars and engaging the edges thereof opposite those adj acent the shield or plate.

4. The combination with a chain-link, of a shield or plate extending across the space between the side bars of the link, and arms extending across said side bars and connected at one end to said plate and provided at their opposite ends with lugs that extend across the edges of said side bars opposite those adjacent the shield or plate.

5. As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed chain-link protector, consisting of a shield or plate adapted to extend across the space between the side bars of a chain-link, and arms connected to said plate and provid ed with means for engaging with the edges of the side bars of the link opposite those adjacent said plate.

6. As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed chain-link protector consisting of a shield or plate adapted to extend across the space between the side bars of the chain-link, and arms projecting from opposite sides of said plate, to extend across the side bars of a link and having at their ends inwardly-extendinglugs adapted to engage with the edges of said side bars opposite those adjacent the shield or plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST CATCI-IPOOL.

Witnesses:

ALFRED J. BoUL'r, HARRY 1;. BRIDGES. 

